Radioactive adhesive plastic composition



Patented a. 1a, 1921 PATENT OFFICE.

1am I. JONES, 0] L08 GILES, CALIFORNIA,

BADIOAGIIVB ADHESIVE mane OOIPOBITION.

Io Drawing.

Compositions emitting radio-active rays are now used to form linings for various kinds of containers, in order to impart radio activity to substances; placed in such con I tainers and capable of a sorbing radio-active rays. Heretofore, it has been necessa in forming these linings, etc., to apply ra um ore as a thick paste to the container and to roast it thereon to make it adhere, when dry 10 to the container walls; it has never before been applied in the form of a plaster or cement capable of adhering closely, when dried, to the surface over which it was spread. Because of the earthy nature of the 18 radium ores, it has not been found possible to mix it with any of the ordinary watersetting cements (such as Portland cement), so as to form a water-resisting radio-active composition which could be ap lied as a so cement plaster to any other solid ody, or be moulded, to retain a given shape when dried. So far as is known, ,all previous attempts to obtain such a plaster or cement have resulted in solids the particles of which were so loosely held together as to be easily separated by washing'with water.

The object of my inventionis the production of a cement with which radio-active material may be mixed to form a plastic composition; which can be applied as a plaster in layers of any desired thickness to many substances and to adhere closely thereto when dried, and which can be readily moulded into any desired shape. It will a p here to practically all the commonly used metals, woods, leather, cloth, etc., and may therefore be used not only to line containers for holding matter to be subjected to the action of radio-active rays emitted from the lining, but may also be spread on a sheet of cloth or other flexible material to be secured to the body of a person to serve as a remedial agency for various ills. In brick form, it can be dropped into water coolers, tanks, etc., to invigorate or impart radioactive properties to any material capable of absorbing radioactive rays and laced therein.

My composition consists o a mixture of magnesium oxide, a radium ore, such as so carnotite, pitch blende, radium sulphate, etc.;

and magnesium chloride.

In preparing the composition, I prefer to form the plaster with about one part of magnesium oxide to four times its weight of Application fled December 15, mt. Serial Io. 75,626.

radium ore and a twenty degree Baumsolution of magnesium chloride sufiicient in uantity' to form a plastic composition 0 any desired degree of fluidity. These proportions can be varied between very wide limits and still produce a satisfactory composition. However, the ma esium oxide should not be less than one-sixteenth the weight of the radium o're.

The magnesium chloride should be mixed with water to form the twenty degree Baum solution, which should then be mixed with magnesium oxide sufiicient in quantity to form, with its proportionate quantity of radium ore, a plaster of any desired consistency. The radium ore is then thoroughly beaten into the fluid mixture of magnesium oxide and magnesium chloride to form the radio-active plastic composition, which is then in condition to be poured into moulds or plastered on any desired surface and left to dry out and set.

Whether any of the elements of the radium ore enter into chemical combination with any of the other elements of the composition is not known. The radio-active elements are, however, retained in the composition, and any substance capable of absorbing radio-active rays and exposed to this composition, exhibits pro erties indicating absorption of such rays. or about a period of five or six months after the coating of a container with this composition, bacteria in a liquid placed in such container are destroyed; the bacteria destroying effect being greatest while the coating is fresh, and adually lessening during a period of about ve or six months until it disappears altogether.

I claim 1. An adhesive plaster consistin of magnesium oxide, magnesium chlori e, radioactive material and water.

2. An adhesive plaster consisting of not less than one part of magnesium oxide mixed with sixteen times its Wei ht of radio-active material and a solution 0 magnesium chlo- Il e- 3. An adhesive plaster consisting of one part of magnesium oxide mixed with four times its weight of radio-active material and a twenty degree Baum solution of magnesium chloride.

4. An adhesive plaster consisting of four parts of carnotite to one part of magnesium oxide, by weight, and atwenty degree Baum unglazed solid consisting of a radium ore solution of magnesium chloride. mixed with a cement formed of magnesium 5. An adhesive plaster which when dried. oxide and magnesium chloride. forms an unglazed porous solid consisting In testimony whereof I have signed my of a radium ore mixed with a magnesium name to this specification. 1

cement 6. An adhesive plaster which dries into an NEIL M. JONES. 

